“I do,” answered Gabe as I buttoned Reid’s coat back up.
“Can you come with us?”
My hands froze, and my sight flew to Gabe. Sadness etched the corners of his eyes. “No, I don’t think that would be a good idea. How about you save a slice for me?”
“Okay.” He tugged from my hold and took Gabe’s hand again. “Let’s go.”
I stared at them as Reid led Gabe away, marveling at how alike they looked. Reid was a miniature version of Gabe, and it ached to see. Following, I thought about Gabe’s words that he had left me because he loved me too much. It made no sense unless I added it to the run-in with his father. The comment about Gabe rebelling again and being under his control. Had I blamed Gabe all this time when there was more to it? Secrets. Things he refused to tell me.
When we arrived back at the hotel, I waited for Reid to say his goodbyes as he clutched his bag of cars.
“Go sit in the seat over there and play quietly with one of your cars while I talk to Gabe,” I told him.
We were in the middle of the lobby with no privacy, so I couldn’t press Gabe more, but I needed answers, and I was tired of being in the dark.
“Thank you for inviting me,” he said, his eyes trailing Reid. Longing tinged them, and I softened, knowing as much as Iblamed him for leaving Reid without a father, he hadn’t known about him.
“How did your father know about Reid?” I blurted.
“My father has ways of finding things out. Apparently, he knew about Reid all these years but didn’t bother to tell me until today.”
That answer had not been the one I expected. “He knew and never said anything?”
Gabe turned his attention back to me. “Yes. I told you my father wasn’t a nice man. I never lied to you about that. We don’t get along. We never have.”
“Tell me why you left me, Gabe.”
He swiped his hand through his hair. “This again, Tori? It doesn’t matter, and it won’t change the fact that I did or that you hate me for leaving you and leaving Reid without a father.”
“I don’t hate you,” I admitted. “It’s more of a love/hate thing.”
His brow lifted, and surprise lit his eyes.
“I’m tired of secrets, and living life like this is too difficult.” I chewed the inside of my cheek, hating what I was about to say but knowing I couldn’t continue to do this to myself. It was too emotionally challenging, and I would never heal if it continued. Not that I thought I ever would. “I need answers, Gabe. No more lies, no more secrets. If you can’t give them to me, then I’m leaving.”
The light dimmed in his eyes. “You can’t do that.”
“I don’t want to, but I will. This hurts too much. Seeing you, being near you, seeing the possibility.” I looked back at Reid. “What could have been. It’s tearing me apart, and pretending that it isn’t hurts just as bad.”
“Please, Tori.”
I turned back to him. “No. It’s not fair to me and not fair to him. It’s my job as his mother to protect him, and I will dowhatever I need to ensure I do. Even if it means…” My voice splintered, and suddenly, I was back to that day, realizing he was never coming back, that he had left me and never looked back. “You have until Friday. Otherwise, consider this my two weeks' notice.”
Looking away, I forced my legs to move toward Reid, gathering him up and taking him back to the elevator. As the doors closed, Gabe remained in the same place, his head bowed, and the dam on my tears broke. I brushed them away before Reid could spot them and pulled the mask on that I’d worn for years. The one that pretended my heart wasn’t still a tattered wreck that would never heal. That acted as if I had recovered from the devastation Gabe left behind. That told everyone I hated the man who had left me when I had never truly stopped loving him.
Chapter 25
Gabe
With my head in my hands, I considered my options, unsure if any were viable. Spending the day with Tori and Reid opened my eyes to all I’d lost. And it had torn me in two. I’d spent the rest of the weekend drowning myself in alcohol and memories, locked away in my room.
Tori had ignored me all day Monday, sticking to emails when she needed something. And in our meeting earlier this morning, she’d avoided my eyes, keeping her sight on everyone but me. The tension crawled over my skin until the meeting ended.
A knock at my door had me dragging my head up. Liv peered around the corner before stepping in and closing the door behind her.
“You’ve looked like shit the last two days and…” She walked around my desk and took my chin in her hands, tipping my head back and forth. “…when was the last time you shaved?”
I swatted her hands away. “I hope you’re here because you finished that report I requested.”
